This invention relates generally to controlling devices, such as for example universal remote controls, and more specifically to systems and methods for configuration of such controlling devices, by way of general example, to match such controlling devices to appliances to be controlled, to define favorite channels, etc., and to provide methods for a user to rapidly and conveniently program activity-based configuration parameters for use in such controlling devices.
Today, even simple home entertainment systems may comprise multiple appliances such as for example a TV set, a cable and/or satellite box, an AV receiver, a DVD player, etc. While use of a universal controlling device to consolidate system control functionality into a single user interface is common in such systems, a recognized disadvantage of the basic form of such controlling devices is the requirement for a user to continually switch the controlling device operational mode back and forth between appliances to be controlled during set up and operation of the equipment. Accordingly various improvements to such basic universal controlling devices have been proposed, such as for example provision for macro commands (user pre-programmed sequences of operation, typically initiated via single button press) as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,959,751, or user re-programming of appliance commands to function across controlling device operational modes such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,195,033. More recently, “activity” or task based universal controlling devices such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,784,805 have been introduced, in which controlling device key layouts, macro sequences, etc., are organized around user activities such as watching TV or listening to music rather than by individual appliances to be controlled. However, all of these methods necessitate considerable user interaction to initially configure the controlling device to operate as desired, performed on the remote itself, on an associated programming device such as a personal computer, or some combination thereof.